Modern Woman and New Morality in Shobha De’s Novels

Pages:118-119
Rashmi Ahlawat (Department of English, Manav Bharti University, Solan, H.P.)

Shobha De’s novels present a totally new concept of morality. She elaborately dwells upon the much covertly discussed theme of sex in her novels. She presents woman who defy social convention and choose to lead their lives on their own terms. But in a country like India, women however educated they may be have to act keeping in mind that they are bound by traditional values and social acceptability. De’s women are totally different; they represent a small but significant section of Indian society which is gradually changing its outlook with the changing times. They are women who seek equal rights with men. They don’t want to be placed second to men. They seek friendship with men who can give them unending supply of luxury, money and comfort. These women marry for convenience and their living singly does not worry them. They engage themselves in glamorous and challenging careers like modeling, acting, journalism, designing, advertising and even big business. To the common conservative middle-class Indian, this sort of highflying life-style is very unwelcome and not in keeping with womanly behaviour too modern and sophisticated, westernized and, above all, characterless. The protagonists of De’s novels exhibit this trait in their character. Identity is concerned with the self-image of an individual, a gender, a community, a class, a race or sex or a nation-real or imaginary dealing with the existence and role, What position do we attain in society? What are we? And who are we? So far as sex and gender identities are concerned, these are the quest for equality and dignity for their process and development. As mentioned in Manusmiriti, it is believed that Indian woman in general have no identity of their own. They belong to their father before they are married and to their husband after they are married and in the old age they have to depend on their sons. However, urban and educated city dwelling Indian women, immigrants and expatriates are claiming their rights within their family and beyond it. They are attempting to establish a new identity with their changing gender roles. We are in the last decade of twenty first century progressing on to the twenty second century. We witness the rapid changes in the social, cultural and moral norms of the society. The writers of the post-independence fiction have focused on contemporary problems. They have explored the vital areas of individual consciousness and have projected the fascinating images of cultural change, rather transformation. Karuna in Socialite Evenings hails from a conservative middle class family and plunges in the circle of Mumbai high society after her bureaucrat father’s posting in this glittering city. She leaves her middle class values and moral standards and embraces the high life of the rich upper class. Her modeling career which she opts for much against her father’s wishes is the first step she takes to become a part of the glamour world.